C. H. SPURGEON,

at the metropolitan tabernacle, newington.

“And from thence they went to Beer: that it the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: the princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves.” Numbers 21:16-18.

We have remarked in our reading that the children of Israel were continually changing their places, and that there was usually a great difference between one station and the next. So, also, we are constantly varying in our experience, and the variations are sometimes exceedingly remarkable.

You observe, in the neighbourhood of the text, that the people pitched their tents at one time by the brooks of Arnon. There appears to have been an exceeding abundance of water where they then were, but anon, they removed into the wilderness where there was not a single drop to quench their thirst. So is it with us. At one time we are abounding in every good thing, rejoicing “with joy unspeakable and full of glory;” and at another time we discover how great our weakness is; faith is at a very low ebb, and joy seems as though the frost of doubt had nipped its root. But, great as the changes of our experience certainly are, our necessities never change. Whether they found water or not, the people always wanted water. The great camp must always have a supply, or perish for the want of it. So, at all hours, and in all places, believers want the grace which only their Lord can give them. They carry no stores with them: they are daily dependent upon their God. “All my springs are in thee,” said David, and every heir of heaven must experimentally learn this truth.

Now, there is one thing certain, that although our experiences vary and our necessities remain the same, yet there is something that does not change, namely, the supply which God has provided for our needs. Our experience may be high or low, bright or dark, but Jehovah-Jireh is still the name of our God. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen, and in the valley too, that the Lord will provide. As our day so shall our strength be. If great our needs, great shall be our supplies Israel found it so, for when they came to this particular place, where there was no natural water, they soon discovered a supernatural supply. They arrived at a spot that was all arid sand, but that was the very place of which God had spoken. “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” Believer, your supplies shall never vary, and your greatest necessities shall only illustrate the fulness of the Lord your God. Be not afraid, but go forward. Though it be dark and dreary in the prospect, yet if God bid you advance, tarry not, for he has surely taken care to forestall your necessities when they shall arise.

The particular text before us has four things in it which I think may be instructive to us. These people needed supplies just as we need grace. There was, first, a promise concerning the supply; secondly, there was a song; that song viewed in another light, was, in the third place, a prayer; and when, this promise, song, and prayer, were attended by the effort, then the blessing came.

To begin, then, these people required water as we greatly need grace, and there was a promise given concerning the supply. “The Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”

Beloved, we have a promise. A promise? nay, a thousand promises! God’s people were never in any plight whatever, but what there was a promise to meet that condition. There is not a single lock of which God has not the key. You shall never be placed in a difficulty without some provision being made for that difficulty, which God foresaw, and for which his heavenly wisdom had devised a way of escape.

Now, the supply promised here, was a divine supply: “I will give them water.” Who else could satisfy those flocks and herds? By what mechanism, or by what human toil could all those multitudes of people have received enough to drink? “I will give them water.” God can do it, and he will. Beloved, the supply of grace that you are to receive in your time of need is a divine supply. You are not to look to man for grace. God forbid that we should ever fall into the superstitions of some idiots, in these modern days, who suppose that God has given his grace only to bishops and to priests-the most graceless of all men if they profess to have any grace to give away-for if they had true grace at all they could not act after that fashion. If you want grace, beloved, you must go to God for it. You shall get it there, but nowhere else. As for even the ablest of God’s sent ministers, they are but broken cisterns if we trust in them. They shall have grace enough to get to heaven themselves, but they will be to themselves great wonders when they arrive there. Wise virgins always say to the foolish ones who apply to them for oil, “Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” There is a divine supply for you, Christian. Hence, knowing the attributes of God, you will understand that however much you may require, there will be an all-sufficient supply; however long you may require it, there will be an everlasting supply; at whatever hours you may want it, there will be an available supply. It is not possible for your needs to outlast that which will be treasured up for you. “I will give them water;” and, ye thirsty ones, go and drink, for there is no fear of exhausting this well-head.

As it was a divine supply, so, also, it was a suitable one. The people were thirsty, and the promise was. “I will give them water.” At another time he had given them bread; he had also given them flesh to eat. But water was what they just now required, and water was what they received. We do not always get that form of grace which we think we want. We sometimes fancy that we require comfort, when rebuke would be much more healthful for us, and it is the rebuke which we obtain, and not the comfort. God is not to be dictated to by our whims and wishes. Like a father, he understands his children better than his children understand themselves, and he gives, not according to their foolish guesses of what they need, but according to his wise apprehension of what they require. “I will give them water.” What dost thou want, to-night? Go and lay open thy needs before the Lord. Tell him what it is thou requirest, if thou knowest, and then add to thy prayer, “And what I know not that I need, yet give me, for thou art able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or even think: not according to my apprehension of my necessities, but according to thy perception of my needs, deal with thy servant, O Lord, and grant me that which is most suitable to my case.” “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”

Observe, too, that the supply promised was an abundant supply. The Lord did not mock the people by sending them just enough to moisten their tongues, but not to quench their thirst. We cannot be sure how many people there were, but it is probable, and almost certain, that there were nearly three millions of them; and yet, when God said, “I will give them water,” he did not say, “I will give some of them water: the princes shall have a supply, and the poorer ones must go without.” Oh, not so! “I will give them water,” it included every child of Israel, every babe that needed it, as well as every strong man that thirsted after it. Hearest thou this, child of God? “I will give them water.” Whatever thou needest, thou who art the most obscure in the world, thou who hast least of faith, thou who standest in the back of the crowd, not able to push to the place where thou hearest that the water flows, here is a provision for thee. It shall be with grace as it was of old with the manna: there shall be enough for all that go out to gather it; he that gathers much shall have nothing over, and he that gathers little shall have no lack. There shall be

“Enough for all, enough for each,

Enough for evermore.”

No child of God shall be left to perish for want of the necessary supplies. “I will give them water.”

I may observe, once more, that as it was a divine supply, a suitable supply, and an abundant supply, so also it was a sure supply. “I will give them water.” It is not, “I may, perhaps, do it; possibly there shall be refreshment for them;” but, “I will give them water.” Oh! the splendour of the Lord’s “shalls” and “wills”! They never fail. “Hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” Search ye out of the Book of the Lord, and read and see if any of his words have fallen to the ground, if one of his promises has lacked its mate! You will have to say, believer, as the hoary-headed Joshua did, “There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” We do not go forward upon the strength of “ifs,” and “buts,” and “peradventures;” but we advance confidently, invigorated and inflamed, as to our courage, by “wills” and “shalls.” God must un-deify himself before he can break his promises. He would lose his character, and that can never be. His honour is the bright jewel of his crown, and he will keep his promise to all his people. “I will give them water.”

Now, I thought, as I was coming up to this house, once again to have the unspeakable pleasure of addressing you. What am I that there should be any supply for the people when they are gathered together? And this text seemed to come to me, you “gather the people together, and I will give them water;” it is your business to be there, occupying your place, and it is their business to be gathered there at the time set apart for prayer, “and I will give them water.” The lad may have only his barley-loaves and a few small fishes, but the Master will multiply them. There may seem to be little enough in our hand, only perhaps a cruse of water, not enough for one; but he who formed the sea, and holds it in the hollow of his hand, can give enough to all the thirsty ones. You are now gathered together, beloved, and I pray the Master to be as good as his promise, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” Here is the promise. A blessed thing to work upon, this. We shall build well enough upon so good a foundation.

These people had not been singing for years; ever since the day when they had sung at the Red Sea, “Sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously,” the minstrelsy of Israel had been hushed, save and except when they danced before the calf of gold; but for their God they had had little or no music. But now they come together to the digging of the well, and the children of Israel sing this song, “Spring up, O well; Sing ye unto it.”

Observe, then, that this song may be looked upon, in the first place; as the voice of cheerfulness. There was no water, but they were still in good spirits. Supplies were short, but their courage was still great. It is very easy to be happy and cheerful in heart when you have all that heart can wish. It is not very difficult for us to maintain our spirits when all things go just as we would have them go. But it is rather difficult to begin to sing when the mouth is dry, and the lips are parched, and the tongue almost refuses to do its duty. Cheerfulness in want, cheerfulness upon the bed of pain, cheerfulness under slander, singing, like the nightingale, in the night, praising God when the thorn is at the breast, this is a high Christian attainment, which we should seek after, and not be content without.

I like, too, the look of these children of Israel, singing to the Lord before the water came, praising him while they were yet thirsty, living for a little while upon the recollections of the past, believing that he who smote the rock, and the waters gushed out, and who gave them bread from heaven, would surely supply their needs. Let us pitch a tune and join with them, however low our estate may be.

“Begone, unbelief, my Saviour is near,

And for my relief will surely appear;

By prayer let me wrestle, and he will perform,

With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.

Note, again, that this song was the voice not so much of natural cheerfulness as of cheerfulness sustained by faith. They believed the promise, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” They sang the song of expectation. I think this is one of the peculiar enjoyments of faith, to be the substance of things hoped for. The joy of hope, who shall measure it? Those who are strangers to it are certainly strangers to the sweetest matter in spiritual life. With the exception of present communion with Christ, the joy of a believer in this present state must be mainly the joy of hope. “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” We thank God that we shall be satisfied when we wake up in the likeness of Jesus. The anticipation of heaven makes earth become endurable, and the sorrows of time lose their weight when we think of the “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Sing before the well begins to spring. Sing confidently, “Spring up, O well.” You cannot make it spring, but sing as if you could, for God is with you. Say, “Down with my sin.” You cannot cast it down, but God can, and therefore speak as one who speaks in God’s name: say, “Begone, unbelief!” You cannot make it go, but God’s Spirit can, and therefore sing as knowing God is with you. “Spring up, O well!” Make that your song. Sing of the mercy yet to come, which your faith can see, although as yet you have not received it.

This song, also, was no doubt greatly increased in its volume, and more elevated in its tone, when the water did begin to spring. After the elders of the people had digged for awhile, the flowing crystal began to leap into the air; they saw it run over the margin of the well, the multitude pressed around to quench their thirst, and then they sang, “Spring up, O well! Flow on, flow on, perennial fount! Flow on, thou wondrous stream divinely given! Flow on, and let the praises of those who drink, flow also! Sing ye unto it, and ye that drink lift up your songs, and ye that mark your neighbours as their eyes flash with delight as they receive the needed refreshment, let your song increase as you see the joy of others.” All ye who have received anything of divine grace, sing ye unto it! Bless God by singing and praising his name while you are receiving his favours. I think we should be more conscious of God’s blessing coming to us if we were more ready to praise him. Brethren, we receive so many of God’s mercies at the back-door: we ought to stand at the door, and take them in ourselves. Presents from a great king ought not to be unacknowledged, stowed away in the dark, forgotten in unthankfulness. Let us magnify the name of the Lord!

But I must not detain you longer upon this point. There was a promise, and then the children of Israel made a song out of the promise before it was accomplished; and then, as it was fulfilled to their delight and joy, they made the song yet more sweet and more loud. So let our hearts sing of the promises of God. You are very poor, yet still sing, “Thy place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: thy bread shall be given thee, and thy water shall be sure.” And when the mercies do come, then lift the song yet higher. “Bless the Lord who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” “Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it!”

But we remark, in the third place, that the song was a prayer. “Spring up, O well,” was virtually a prayer to God that he would make the well spring up, only it was faith’s way of singing her prayer.

We would remark of this prayer, that it went at once to the work, and sought for that which was required. What was needed? Not a well, but water; not mere digging in the sand, but the obtaining and the drinking of the water. Beloved believer, let me remind you that it is very easy for us to forget what it is that we want, and to be satisfied with something short of it. Now, what we need is not the means of grace, but the grace of the means. The means of grace are excellent when they bring us grace, but the means of grace are not the ultimata. It is not these that we seek after, but grace itself. To show you what I mean-“Spring up, O well,” was the prayer; it did not ask for the well, but for the well to spring up. So, to-night, or some other evening, you are retired for your private devotions; you have opened the Bible; you begin to read. Now, do not be satisfied with merely reading through a chapter. Some good people read through two or three chapters-stupid people, as stupid as they are good, for doing such a thing! It is always better to read a little and digest it, than it is to read much and then think you have done a good thing by merely reading the letter of the word. For profit you might as well read the A B C backwards and forwards, as read a chapter of Scripture, unless you meditate upon it, and seek to comprehend its meaning. Words are nothing: the letter killeth. The business of the believer with his Bible open is to pray, “Here is the well: spring up, O well; Lord, give me the meaning and spirit of thy word, while it lies open before me; apply thy word with power to my soul, threatening or promise, doctrine or precept, whatever it may be; lead me into the soul and marrow of thy word.” The Rabbis say that whole worlds of meaning hang upon every word of Scripture, but only he will find out the meaning who waits upon God with the prayer, “Spring up, O well.” Or, perhaps you are about to kneel down to pray. I beseech you, do not be satisfied with getting through fifty or a hundred choice sentences which look as if they were devout. That prayer has not benefited you which is not the prayer of the soul. You have need to say, “Spring up, O well; Lord, give me the spirit of prayer; now help me to feel my need deeply, to perceive thy promise clearly, to exercise faith upon that promise, and then, by wrestling importunity to hold thee fast, and say, ‘I will not let thee go except thou bless me.’ ” It is not the form of prayer, it is the spirit of prayer that shall truly benefit your souls. In vain might you open the book and read through ten thousand prayers, the best that were ever composed; it would be no benefit to you. “Spring up, O well!” Come, Holy Spirit, come, and help my infirmities, for I know not what to pray for as I ought, but do thou make intercession for me with groanings that cannot be uttered. You want in prayer, not the well so much as the springing up of the well. And it is just the same when you go to the ordinances. For instance, baptism can be of no service to the believer unless he devoutly perceives the meaning of it. He must know what it is to be dead with Christ, buried with Christ, risen with Christ, and ere he comes to the ordinance, this should be his prayer, “Spring up, O well; Lord, give me to enjoy that which the outward emblem teaches me; give me true fellowship with Christ!” And so at the Lord’s table, of what avail is it to eat bread and drink wine? Oh, but when Jesus comes, and your soul feeds upon him, and he makes you before you are aware of it, like the chariots of Amminadib, when the well springs up. Oh, then the table is better than the banquets of kings. And is it not the same when you come to the public assembly? The prayer-meeting may be dull enough, excepting the Spirit, the Comforter, be poured out upon us. We have been singing just now: how many were singing? Some were making melody with their lips, but not with their hearts. But, oh, when the hymn breaks out in richest blessings, like living waters, when you get through the shell of the hymn, and get at the soul and life of it, then, blessed be God, what a well-spring we often get in sacred songs! And, further, with regard to the ministration of the truth; often and often does my soul groan out to God that he would give me liberty in the ministry, that he would lead me into the essence of his truth. O brethren and sisters, I sometimes feel, in preaching, like the butcher, who cuts off meat for others, and does not get a mouthful for himself, and it is hard work indeed. I dare say you very often sit and hear God’s word, but it has lost its savour. You cannot enjoy it; you do not seem to get into it. The babe at home in the cradle, or that ledger, or that bad debt, or something that has occurred in the family before you came here, distracts you. You cannot get into the spirit of worship. “Spring up, O well!” This is what we want. So let our prayer be like the song of the text, direct and to the point. Lord, do not put me off with the husks of ordinances and means of grace; give me thyself! I had rather be a door-keeper, and be really in thy house, than sit in the seats of the Pharisees in the synagogue, and yet my Master be not seen by me. Strive after vital godliness, real soul-work, the life-giving operation of the Spirit of God in your hearts, or else, beloved, you may have the well, but you will not have any springings therefrom. Remember, then, it went direct to the point.

And notice, also, that this prayer was the prayer of faith, like the song. Now, “without faith it is impossible to please God:” this is emphatically true with regard to prayer. He who pleads with God in unbelief really insults him, and will get no blessing. Faith gives wings to our prayers, so that they fly heaven-high, but unbelief clogs and chains our prayers to earth. Many prayers never go beyond the ceiling of the room in which they were uttered, because there was no faith mingled with them. Oh, how wanting our prayers are in this one essential element! If we had more faith, what large blessings would come down to the church! When I listen to some prayers, I cannot help thinking, “Well, what is there left to pray for after that? everything has been included in the petition that one could well conceive of. Now, if we could but get the answer.” We ought to do so; and if we did, what a different state of affairs we should have. We need, indeed, more faith to make our poor words real genuine wrestlings with God, so as to prevail with him, and come off more than conquerors. God is not slack concerning his promises. We never yet put him to the test and found him wanting. The history of the church speaks through all ages with but one voice on this point, all things conspire to urge us to faith in God in connection with prayer to him in time of need. If you want, then, some well to spring up to supply the wants of yourself or your family, pray in faith; the rock, if needs be, shall flow with rivers of water. The driest wilderness shall send forth floods of refreshment. Have faith in God and call upon his name. “Pray without ceasing.” “Spring up, O well!”

You will please notice, further, that it was united prayer. All the people prayed, “Spring up, O well!” I dare say that was a prayer-meeting at which everybody prayed, for they were all thirsty, and therefore they all said, “Spring up, O well!” What blessed meetings those are when the souls of all present are in it! I hope we shall have some noble enquirers’ meetings in this Tabernacle during the next month, and for many more afterwards. Mr. Nivens was asked by some one whether he had had any enquirers’ meetings. “No,” he said, “we have not had any lately, for I do not think we have many enquiring saints amongst us!” “What!” said the other, “I never heard of that.” “Oh, but,” said he, “we must always have enquiring saints before we shall have enquiring sinners. ‘For this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel.’ You see, saints must enquire, and then God will do it for them; and as soon as ever the saints begin to enquire, ‘Wilt thou not revive us again!’ then sinners begin to enquire, ‘What must we do to be saved?’ Oh! if we could have a meeting where all should be enquirers: the saints enquiring-‘When wilt thou save my wife? When wilt thou bless my husband? When wilt thou look in grace on my children? When will thou convert my neighbour?’ and the sinners enquiring?-‘Lord, when wilt thou meet with us, and give us to taste of thy salvation?’ ” I say, the prayer was a unanimous one-“Spring up, O well!” Brethren and sisters, may God touch you all with the heavenly fire, so that you may all be unanimous in the one great desire that God would visit us, make our wells to spring up, and cause the whole church to be revived, and sinners to be saved.

I cannot, however, tarry there, but must now conclude with the fourth head, which is this: they began with a promise; they turned the promise into a song and into a prayer, and they did not stop there, but then they went to work.

“God helps them that help themselves,” is an old proverb, and it is true with God’s people as well as true of providence. If we want to have God’s blessing, we must not expect to receive it by lying passive. The first blessings of grace come to passive sinners, but when the Lord quickens his people he makes them active. So here in this place. “I will give them water,” but “the princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves.” Here was effort used, reminding us of a parallel passage in that famous song, “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.” They must dig the wells; the water does not come below, it comes from above; the rain fills the pools. God fills the pools, but we must dig them.

And, observe, that when God intends to bless a people, effort is always esteemed to be honourable. “The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it.” They were not ashamed of the work. And when God shall bless a church and people, they must all feel that it is a very great honour to do anything in the service of God. No matter though they may be very learned, they must feel it an honour to teach a class in a Sabbath-school for Christ. They may be rich, but they must feel it an honour to open the pew-doors, or the place-doors, or do anything for the Master. They may be very famous, and very much esteemed, but they must feel it to be an honour to wait upon the humblest enquiring soul. And what an honour it really is! Why, princes are not so honoured as those are who are allowed by God to be “workers together” with him in the economy of grace! Brethren and sisters, covet earnestly the best gifts in this matter. Seek after usefulness as hunters seek after their game, and as miners hunt after their treasures. Seek to serve God. You will be princes in this way. They are the princes who dig the wells; they are the true nobles who use their staves in the Master’s service. Before man sinned, he worked for God. Adam was put into the garden to till it and to dress it. He was not made to lead an idle, useless life. His state of innocence was one of service to his Maker. When men shall be once more in a state of purity, their highest honour will be-“his servants shall serve him.” Heaven is a place where they serve him day and night in his temple. Idleness is sin and shame to us. It is our duty to labour, and our highest dignity is to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, the princes of old, and the nobles, helped to dig the well. It was effort which they all felt to be honourable. Well has our poet put it-

“All may of thee partake;

Nothing so small can be,

But draws when acted for thy sake,

Greatness and worth from thee.

If done beneath thy laws,

E’en servile labours shine;

Hallowed is toil, if this the cause,

The meanest work, divine,

But it was also effort which was accomplished by very feeble means. They digged the well, and they digged it with their staves-not very first-class tools. Would not the mattock and the spade have been better? Ay, but they did as they were told. They digged with their staves. These, I suppose, were simply their rods, which, like the sheiks in the East, they carried in their hands as an emblem of government, somewhat similar to the crook of the shepherd. These they used, according as they were commanded. Well, dear friends, we must dig with our staves. We must dig as we can. We must use what abilities we have. It is every Christian’s duty to try to know as much and get as much talent as he can, but if you have but one talent, use that one talent. Go to trade for Christ with it. If you cannot do what you would, do what you can, remembering that the Lord saveth not by the mighty, and works not his greatest things by the mighty ones; but he hath chosen the “base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.” I should look very like a fool if I went a well-digging with a stick; and yet if God told me to do so, then should I be wise in doing it. Go thou, Christian, with such talent as God has given thee, and God will bless thee, and make thy lamps and trumpets to be as mighty for the overthrow of Midian, as they were in the hands of Gideon of old. Here was honourable effort with feeble means.

And, observe, it was effort in God’s order. They digged the well “by the direction of the lawgiver.” We must not serve God according to our fancies. The Westminster Assembly’s Catechism well lays down idolatry to be “not only the worship of a false god, but the worship of God, the true God, in a way which he has not prescribed.” Consequently, all ceremonies that are not commanded in Scripture are flat idolatry-it matters not what they are. Every mode of worshipping God which is not commanded by God, is neither more nor less than flat idolatry. The children of Israel, in their apostacy, did not set up another god. It is clear to every reader of the story of the golden calf, that they did not worship another god when they fell down before it. They worshipped Jehovah under the form of that golden calf, but it was a way of worship which God had never ordained, for he said he allowed no similitude nor likeness of himself to be attempted to be made, and therefore it was idolatry. And, mark you, when men adore pieces of bread, as they are fools enough to do nowadays, they will tell you that they worship Christ under the form of that bread, but it is idolatry. It is a glaring breaking of the second command, and we doubt not will bring destruction upon those who fall into it. We must not forget in everything we do for God, to go to work in God’s way. I hold that in revivalism, I have no right to adopt anything which I cannot go before God with, and justify at the throne of God. I must not adopt a mode of procedure which I may think suits the place or is adapted to the times. Is it right? Let it be done. Is it wrong? Let it not be so much as thought of amongst the saints. We are never to “do evil that good may come,” nor to run over and above, or counter to, the current of Scripture, in order to work some doubtful good. We must dig the well according to the direction of the lawgiver. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Let us keep close to the good old paths which are laid down in Holy Writ, and, digging the well, we shall get the water.

And then, in the last place, it was effort made in faith. They digged the well, but as they digged it they felt so certain that the water would come that they sang at the work, “Spring up, O well!” Brethren, this is the true way to work if we would get a blessing. We must preach in faith, believing that the word cannot return unto our Master void. We must teach in the Sabbath-school in faith, believing that the children will be led to seek Christ early, and to find him. We must distribute the tract in faith, believing that if we cast our bread upon the waters, we shall find it after many days. You must take care that you have this faith. You must not ask from God a blessing upon your work in a spirit of doubt, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven of the wind and tossed; let not that man expect to receive anything of the Lord; but believe the promise, believe that God will bless you if you seek his glory, and go about his work in his way, and you shall see the blessing, so great a blessing that when you have proved your God, you shall not have room enough to receive it.

I want all the dear members of this church especially to join with me in breathing the prayer, day by day, and hour by hour, that the well would spring up in our midst Conversion work is not pausing, I hope. I have been so long removed from you now, that I am longing to see some great work done by the Master. O that he would now make bare his arm! We have seen what the gospel can do in the salvation of souls, and in making God’s people cleave close to him. Let us ask for a renewal of those blessed seasons, and the continuance of our long prosperity. Let us pray for ourselves that our religion, our piety, may spring up like a well, “a well of living water springing up into everlasting life.” And let us pray that the ministry may be greatly blessed amongst us, and for all our works-in the classes of the Sabbath-school, and everywhere else.” “Spring up, O well,” and God give us all to drink of the living waters, till he leads us to the mount of God where we shall feed on the green pastures, and lie down by the river of life for ever and ever.

There have been some things said, I trust, which may be blessed to you who do not know the Lord. I pray they may. Remember, trust in Christ is that which saves you. Rest alone in Jesus. It is the mount of Calvary that is the mount of your hope. Fly to the Saviour, and you are saved. God bless you, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Portion of Scripture read before Sermon-Numbers 31.

HELPS

A Sermon

delivered by

C. H. SPURGEON,

at the metropolitan tabernacle, newington.

“And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”-1 Corinthians 12:28.

It appears, according to the apostle Paul, that, according to the diversity of gifts which proceeded from the selfsame Spirit of God, those who gave assistance to the early church, did so in different ways. He tells us that “God hath set some in the church, first apostles.” These were to go from place to place founding churches and ordaining ministers. There were next, “secondarily, prophets,” some of whom uttered prophecies, and others were gifted in their explanation. Then came, “thirdly, teachers,” who were probably either pastors settled in divers churches teaching the Word, or else evangelists journeying about and proclaiming the truth. Then came, “after that, miracles, then gifts of healing;” and the apostle does not forget to mention another class of persons, called “helps.”

Now, who these people precisely were, I suppose it would be very difficult, at this period of time, if not quite impossible, to tell. Some have thought that they were assistant-ministers, who occasionally aided settled pastors, both in the pastoral work of visiting, and also in occasionally preaching the Word. Others have thought that they were assistant-deacons, and perhaps even deaconesses, an office that most certainly was recognised in the apostolic churches. Others, again, have supposed these helps to have been attendants in the sanctuary, who took care that strangers were properly accommodated, and managed those details which always must be superintended by somebody in connection with any gathering of persons for any public object whatever. But whoever they were, or whatever may have been the particular functions they discharged, they appear to have been a useful body of people, and worthy to be mentioned in the same verse as apostles and teachers, and even to be named with miracle-workers, and those who had the gifts of healing. It strikes me that they were not persons who had any official standing, but that they were only moved by the natural impulse and the divine life within them to do anything and everything which would assist either teacher, pastor, or deacon, in the work of the Lord. They were the sort of brethren who are useful anywhere, who can always stop a gap, and who are only too glad when they find that they can make themselves serviceable to the church of God in any capacity whatever.

We have a goodly brigade of “helps” in this church, and I want now to stir them up; and while I am speaking to them, perhaps a word or two of comfort may come, as it were, from round the corner to some who need the assistance which these brethren give, and for whose help indeed, those of whom we speak lay out their lives.

John Bunyan, that master of Christian experience, as well as of Christian allegory, has, it seems to me, described that part of the work of these “helps” which is most valuable, and which is most required. He describes Help as coming to Christian when he was floundering about in the Slough of Despond. Just when the poor man was like to have been choked, having missed his footing in the slough, and when he found that, with all his struggling, he was only sinking deeper and deeper into the mire, there suddenly came to him a person, of whom Bunyan says nothing more throughout his whole allegory, whose name was Help, and who put out his hand, and, saying some words of encouragement to him, pulled him out of the mire, set him on the King’s Highway, and established his goings.

There is a period in the divine life when the help of judicious Christian brethren is invaluable. Most of us who know the Lord at all, know quite as much as we wish to know about that awful Slough of Despond. I myself did lay in it for five years, or thereabouts, and I think I know pretty well every part of it. In some places it is deeper than in others, and more nauseous; but, believe me, a man may reckon himself thrice happy when he gets out of it, for when one is in it, it seems as though it would swallow him up alive. Dear, very dear to us, must ever be the hand that helped us out of the depth of the mire where there was no standing; and while we ascribe all the glory to the God of grace, we cannot but love most affectionately the instrument he sent to be the means of our deliverance.

On the summit of some of the Swiss passes, the canton, for the preservation and accommodation of travellers, maintains a small body of men, sometimes only two or three, who live in a little house at the top, and whose business it is to help travellers on their way. It was very pleasant when we were going through a pass in the mountains of Northern Italy, to see, some three or four miles from the top, a man coming down who saluted us as though he had known us for years. He carried a spade in his hand, and though we did not know what was coming, yet he evidently understood better than we did what was going to occur. By-and-by we came to deep snow, and the man went to work with his spade to clear a footway, and when he came to a very ugly piece of road, some of the party were carried along on the man’s back. It was the man’s business to care for the travellers, and ere long there came one of his companions with wine and refreshments, which were generously offered to the weary ones. These men were “helps,” who spent their lives on that part of the road where it was known their services would be requisite; and when travellers reach the spot, these men are ready to give their assistance at the very nick of time. They would have been worth nothing at all down in the plains; they would have been only an incumbrance if they had met us in any other place, but they were exceedingly valuable, because they were just where they were required, and came exactly at the moment when they were wanted.

Now, my friends, “helps” are of no use to a man when he can help himself. When he has no difficulties, an offer of assistance is an intrusion. There is just one point, such a juncture as the passing of the summit of the mountain, where help will be exceedingly precious to him. And it seems to me, that the period of a man’s experience which Bunyan describes by the Slough of Despond, is just that season when you, my dear brethren and sisters in Christ, may render invaluable aid to the Christian minister by coming to the rescue of those who seem as though they would be swallowed up.

This brigade of “helps,” if I understand Bunyan aright, are stationed all round the borders of the Slough of Despond, and it is their business to keep watch all round and listen for the cries of any poor benighted travellers who may be staggering in the mire. Just as the Royal Humane Society keep their men along the borders of the lakes in the parks in winter time, and when the ice is forming, bid them be on the watch, and take care of any who may venture upon it; so a little knot of Christian people, both men and women, should always be ready in every church, to listen for cries of distress, and to give assistance wherever it may be required. Such seem to me to be the sort of “helps” we want. Such, perhaps, these ancient “helps” may have been.

I want, first of all, to give a few directions to these “helps” as to how they may help poor sinners out of the slough of Despond. After some little experience I have had in helping others, I would recommend one particular course at the outset. When you meet with some one who is despairing, and thinks he cannot be saved, get him to state his case. This should always be the first thing. When Help went to Christian he did not at once put out his hand to him, but he said, “What are you doing there? How did you get there?” It does men good to state their spiritual case to others. Confession to a priest is a piece of abomination, but sometimes the communication of our spiritual difficulties to another will be in itself a most helpful exercise to ourselves. You will know how to deal with them, and they will know the better what you want, when they put their necessities into words. I have occasionally found that the mere act of stating a difficulty has been the very means of at once removing it. Some of our doubts will not bear the light of day. Many spiritual difficulties are there, which, if a man did but look them fully and fairly in the face long enough to be able to describe them, would vanish even during the investigation. Let the youngster state his case. Get that young man alone, dear brother; get him to sit down quietly with you, and say to him, “Now, what is it you are distressed about? What is the point that puzzles you? What cannot you understand? What is it that dejects and disspirits you?” Let them state their own case.

Next to this, enter, as much as lieth in you, into their case. This may seem to you, perhaps, an unimportant direction, but, depend upon it, you will be able to give very little help, if any, if you do not follow it. Sympathy has very much to do with our ability to comfort others. If you cannot enter into their distress, you will scarcely be able to lift them out of it. Try to bring yourselves down to “weep with them that weep,” as well as to “rejoice with those that do rejoice.” Do not sneer at a difficulty because it seems small to you, recollect that it may be very great to the person who is troubled by it. Do not begin to scold, and tell the young man that he ought not to feel as he does feel, or to be as distressed as he is. As God puts his everlasting arms underneath you, so you must put the outstretched arms of your sympathy underneath your younger and weaker brethren, that you may lift them up. If you see a brother in the mire, put your arms right down into the mud that, by the grace of God, you may lift him bodily out of it. Remember that you were once just where that young sister of yours is now; try, if you can, to bring back your own feelings when you were in her condition. It may be, you say, that the stripling or the damsel is very foolish. Yes; but you were fools yourselves once, and then you abhorred all manner of meat, and your soul seemed to be drawing near to the gates of death. Now, you must use Paul’s language, you must “become a fool for their sakes.” You must put yourselves into the condition of these simple-minded ones. If you cannot do this, you need training to teach you how to be a help: as yet you do not know the way. Let them state their case, and then endeavour to feel their difficulties as your own.

Perhaps, your next work ought to be, to comfort these poor brethren with the promises. Help, in “Pilgrim’s Progress,” asked Christian why he did not look for the steps, and told him that there were good steps all the way through the mire; but Christian said he had missed them. Now, you can point these poor sinking ones to the steps. Brethren, be you well acquainted with the promises of God; have them on the tip of your tongue, ready at any time. We have heard of a certain scholar who used to carry miniature copies of all the classic authors about with him, so that he seemed to have almost a Bodleian in his pocket. O that you would carry miniature Bibles about with you! or, better still, that you had all the word of God constantly with you in your heart, so that you might be able to speak a word in season to them that are weary! Whenever you come across a poor distressed soul, what a blessed thing for you to be able to say to him, “Yes, you are a sinner, it is true; but Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” Perhaps he will tell you that he cannot do anything; but you may answer that he is not told to do anything, but to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he shall be saved. He will say, perhaps, that he cannot believe; but you can remind him of the promise, “Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved;” that is, those who seek him earnestly by prayer. Some texts in the Bible are like sundry stars in the sky-those constellations in the heavens which are so conspicuous, that when the mariner once sees them, he can very soon tell where he is. He determines the latitude and longitude of his own position by gazing intently on one of these celestial bodies. Some brilliant passages of Scripture appear to be set in the firmament of revelation as guiding-stars to poor bewildered souls. Point to these. Quote them often. Rivet the poor sinner’s eyes upon them: this will be one of the best ways of helping him. Oh! if there be a poor despairing one here to-night, let me quote to him that great and mighty promise of our God, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” “He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” “Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” These three texts are specimens of promises by which you “helps” can assist sinking sinners.

After this, dear friends, try to instruct those who may want your help more fully in the plan of salvation. The gospel is preached every Sunday in hundreds of pulpits in England, and yet there is nothing so little known or understood in this country as “the truth as it is in Jesus.” Sometimes the preacher cannot, even with all his attempts, make plain the simple gospel. You, perhaps, may be able to do it, because you just happen to suit the comprehension of the person in hand. God is my witness how earnestly I always endeavour to make clear and plain whatever I say, but yet my peculiar modes of thought and expression may not be suitable to the cases of some in such an audience as this. Some one person may be able to meet cases which I cannot. If my brethren and sisters, the “helps,” will be constantly active, they may often explain where I only confuse. That which may not have been understood as the preacher put it, will be comprehended when it is stated afresh by them. If you will only put the same thing in another shape, the sinner will say, “Ah! I see it now; I could not understand it from him, but I can understand it from you!” Do, if you would help souls, point them to the Saviour; do not bother them about any irrelevant matters, but just talk to them at once about the precious blood; that is the main thing. Tell the sinner that whosoever trusts in Christ shall be saved. Do not point to the wicket-gate as Evangelist did; that is not the way, but point the sinner to the cross. Poor Christian would never have been in the Slough of Despond if he had had a proper person to direct him. Do not scold Evangelist, but just undo the mischief he did, by always pointing the sinner to Calvary.

Would you supplement this? I recommend you to tell the troubled conscience your own experience. Many have been able to get out of the Slough of Despond in this way. “What,” says the young man, “did you ever feel as I do?” I must say I have often been really amused when I have been talking with young enquirers, to see them open their eyes with astonishment to think that I had ever felt as they did, whereas I should have opened mine with far greater astonishment if I had not. We sit down sometimes and tell our patients all their symptoms, and then they think we must have read their hearts, whilst the fact is, that our hearts are just like theirs, and in reading ourselves, we read them. We have gone along the same road as they have, and it would be a very hard thing if we could not describe what we have ourselves experienced. Even advanced Christians find great comfort in reading and hearing of the experience of others, if it is anything like their own; and to young people it really is a most blessed means of grace, to hear others tell what they have gone through before them. I wish our elder brethren were more frequently “helps” in this matter, and that when they see others in trouble, they would tell them that they have passed through the very same difficulties, instead, as some do, of blaming the young people for not knowing what they cannot know, and upbraiding them because they have not “old heads on young shoulders,” where, I am sure, they would be singularly out of place.

Once more, I think you will very much help the young enquirer by praying with him. Oh, the power of prayer! When you cannot tell the sinner what you want to say, you can sometimes tell it to God in the sinner’s hearing. There is a way of saying, in prayer with a person, what you cannot say direct to his face, and it is well sometimes, when praying with another, to put the case very plainly and earnestly-something in this way: “Lord, thou knowest that this poor young woman now present is very much troubled, but it is her own fault; she will not believe in thy love because she says there is no evidence of it; thou hast shown it in the gift of thy dear Son, but she will persist in wanting to see something of her own upon which she may rest, some good frames or feelings; she has been told many times that all her help lies in Christ, and not at all in herself, and yet she will keep on seeking fire in the midst of water, and life in the graves of death. Open her eyes, Lord; turn her face in the right direction, and lead her to look to Christ, and not to self.” Praying in this way, you see, often puts the case very plainly. There is a real power in prayer-the Lord does hear the cry of his people still. As certainly, beloved, as ever the electric fluid bears the message from one place to another, as certainly as the laws of gravitation move the spheres, so certainly is prayer a mysterious but a real power. God does hear prayer. Some of us are quite as certain of this as we are that we breathe: we have tried it and proved it. It is not occasionally that God has heard it, but it has become as regular a thing with us to ask and have, as it is for our children to ask for meat at table and receive it at our hands. I should hardly think of attempting to prove that God hears my prayer, either to myself or anybody else; it has become so much the habit of my life to know that God hears prayer, that I have no more doubt of it than I have of the fact that if I lose my balance I shall fall, and that the power of gravitation affects me in walking, in sitting still, in rising up, and in lying down. Exercise, then, I beseech you, this power of prayer, and you shall often find that when nothing else will help a soul out of its difficulty, prayer will do it. There are no limits, dear friends, if God be with you, in your helping others, through the power of prayer.

These directions-and they are not very many-I want you to keep in your memories, as you would the directions of the Royal Humane Society, with reference to people who have been in danger of drowning. I dare say some of you have already practised them so long, that you know them well enough.

Having spoken thus on how to help, I shall now describe those who can help.

It is not everybody who can help in the way I have been describing. I want to enlist a little brigade of spiritual firemen; that is, I want to get together a company of “helps,” to assist persons who may be slipping and floundering about in the Slough of Despond.

The first essential for a true “help” is, that he should have a tender heart. There are some people who seem to be prepared by divine grace on purpose to be soul-winners. I know a brother whom I did once venture to compare to a hunting-dog in this matter, for no sooner did he suspect that there were anxious souls than he was on the alert; and did he but hear of a number of converts, away be went. He seems dull and heavy at other times, but then his eyes flash, his heart beats, his whole soul is stirred up to action, and he becomes like a new man. Among converts and enquirers he is all alive: his soul takes fire directly; and amidst the diversities of gifts that proceed from the same Spirit, his gift evidently is to help souls. Such a man was Timothy, of whom Paul says, “I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state.” You know, in common life, there are some people who seem to be born nurses. Others there are, to be sure, who cannot nurse at all; if you were ill, you would never have them about you even if they would come for nothing and pay you for having them. They mean well, but somehow or other they would stamp across the room every time they moved, and would be sure to wake you up; and if there were any physic to be taken at night, it would taste all the worse if they gave it to you. But you have known a real nurse-perhaps your own wife-you never did hear her walk across the room when you were ill, and you never would even if you had an instrument to your ear like a microscope to the eye, magnifying the minutest thing; she steps so softly that you might almost sooner hear her heart beat than her footfall. Then, too, she understands your taste exactly, and always knows what to bring you. Whoever heard of a nurse more fit for her work than Miss Nightingale? She seems as if s e could do nothing else, and as if God had sent her into the world on purpose, not only that she might be a nurse herself, but that she might also teach others to nurse. Well, it is just the same in spiritual things. I have used a homely illustration to show you what I mean. There are some people who, if they try to comfort you when you are distressed, go so awkwardly to work about it, that they are sure to give you a great deal more trouble than you had before. They really mean well, and try to do their best, but they cannot do what you want done. It is not their work; they are not “helps;” they take a great crowbar to do the thing which a little picklock would easily effect, and they go about everything in such a strange, clumsy style, that you can see they were not made for the work. The true “help” to a distressed soul is a person, who, though his head may not be very big, has a large and warm heart. He is a man, in fact, all heart. It was said of John, that he was a pillar of fire from head to foot. This is the kind of man the soul wants when it is shivering in the cold winter of despondency. Such men I know: may God train many more, and give us all more of the gentleness that was in Christ, for unless in this way we are naturally fit for the work, we shall never be able to do it.

The “help,” moreover, wants, not only a large heart, but a very quick eye. There is a way of getting the eye sensitively acute with regard to sinners. I know some brethren and sisters who, when they are sitting in their pews, can almost tell how the word is operating upon those who sit near them. Some people cannot do this, others can; and besides this, they know just what they ought to say to their neighbours in the seat when the sermon is over; they understand how to say it, and whether they ought to say it in the pew or going down stairs, or outside, or whether they ought to wait till some time in the week. They appear to have an instinct which tells them just what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

Oh! it is a blessed thing when God thus sets watchmen along the borders of the Slough of Despond; then, if they have quick cars, they listen, and by-and-by they hear a splash over yonder in the Slough, and though it may be very dark and misty, they go to the rescue. Nobody else hears the cry but those who lay themselves out to listen for it.

We also want for this work, men who are quick of foot, to run. Why, there are some of you who never speak to your neighbours about their souls; you have a sitting here, and you never think of speaking a word to those who sit next you. I thank God there are some of you who will not let a stranger go out without a good word concerning Christ. I pray you persevere in the good habit, and the Lord will bless you, for while there is much to be done in such a congregation as this by the preacher, there is yet more to be done by these helps in getting to the conscience, and doing good to the soul.

For a thoroughly efficient “help,” give me a man with a loving face. We do not make our own faces; but I do not think a brother will do much with anxious enquirers who is habitually grim. Cheerfulness commends itself, especially to a troubled heart. We do not want levity; there is a great difference between cheerfulness and levity. I can always tell a man who looks sweetly at me what I feel, far better than I can tell it to one who in a sort of official way talks to me as though it were his only business to enquire into my private concerns, and to find out all about what I am, and where I have been. Go about your work softly, gently, affectionately; let your cheerful countenance tell that the religion you have is worth having, that it cheers and comforts you, and then the poor soul in the Slough of Despond will hope that it may cheer and comfort him.

Earnestly, too, let me recommend you to have a firm foot. If I have to go and pull a brother out of the Slough, I must know how to stand fast myself, or otherwise, while I am seeking to pull him out, I may fall in. I must recollect that hearing the doubts of others may give rise to the same doubts in my own mind unless I am firmly established as to my own personal interest in Christ Jesus. If you would be useful, you must not be always doubting and fearing. Full assurance is not necessary to salvation, but it is very necessary to your success as a helper of others. I remember when I taught in the Sunday-school, I was trying to point one of the boys in the class to the Saviour. He seemed troubled, and he said to me, “Teacher, are you saved?” I said “Yes.” “But are you sure you are?” said he; and though I did not answer him just then, I felt that I could not very well tell him that there certainly was salvation in Jesus Christ, unless I had tried him for myself and been assured of it. Do try to get a firm foot, dear brethren, and you will be more useful round the edge of the Slough than as though you were constantly slipping down.

Then, as you have to do business round this Slough, try to know it well; try to find out its worst parts, and where it is deepest. You will not have to go far to do this: you have probably been in it yourself, and therefore know something about it, but you can easily gather from one and another whereabouts it is worst. Seek, if you can, to understand the mental philosophy of despondency; I do not mean by studying Dugald Stewart and other writers on mental philosophy, but by real heartfelt experience seek to become practically acquainted with the doubts and fears which agitate coming souls.

When you have done this, I hope the Lord will give you-for you will want it if you are to become very useful-a good strong hand, in order to grip the sinner. Jesus Christ did not heal the lepers without touching them, and we cannot do good to other men by standing at a distance from them. The preacher sometimes gets hold of his hearers; he can feel he has them, and can do almost anything with them; and if you are to be a “help,” you will have to learn the art of getting hold of the conscience, the heart, the judgment, the whole man. When you once get hold of a troubled heart, never let it go. Oh! I pray that you may have a hand like a vice, that will never let go the sinner when once you have hold of him. What! shall the child of God let the sinner fall back into the Slough? No, not while the rock on which he stands holds fast, and while he can hold the sinner by the hands of prayer and faith. May God teach you to grip men by love, by spiritual sympathy, by passion for souls, so that you cannot let them go.

Once more, if you would help others out of the Slough of Despond, you must have a bending back. You cannot pull them out if you stand bolt upright; you must go right down to the man. There he is; he is almost gone; the mire is well nigh over his head; and you must turn up your sleeves, and go to work. “But the man cannot speak correct English!” Never mind; do not speak correct English to him, for he would not understand it; but speak bad English, which he can understand. It is said, that many of the sermons of Augustine are full of shockingly bad Latin, not because Augustine was not a good Latin scholar, but because the dog-Latin of the day suited his turn best to get hold of men. There is a certain prudery about ministers which disqualifies them for some work; they cannot bring their mouth to utter a truth in such language as fisherwomen would understand. Happy is that man whose month will say the truth in such a way that the persons he is speaking to will receive it. “But the dignity of the pulpit!” says one. Well, and what is that? The “dignity” of a war-chariot lies in the captives dragged at its wheels, and the “dignity of the pulpit” lies in the number of souls converted to God. Do not tell me of your fine jargon, your Johnsonian sentences, your rolling periods; there is no “dignity” in any of these if they go over the heads of your hearers. You must condescend to men of low estate; and you will sometimes meet with men and women to whom you really must talk to in a style which does not commend itself to your taste, but which your judgment and your heart will command and compel you to use. Learn to stoop your back. Do not, for instance, go into a cottage like a fine lady come to visit poor people; go and sit down on a chair, and sit on the edge, if the rushes are gone; sit close to the good woman, even if she is ever so dirty; and talk to her not as her superior, but as her equal. If there is a boy playing marbles, and you want to talk to him, you must not call him away from his play, nor look down upon him from an awful elevation, as a schoolmaster would, but begin with a few playful expressions, and then drop a more serious sentence into his ear. If you would do people good, you must go down to them where they are. It is no use preaching fine sermons to drowning men; but go to the edge of the pool, put out your arms, and try to pull them out. These, I verily think, are some of the qualifications of a true “help.”

Let me now close by endeavouring to incite those of my brethren and sisters who have been “helps,” to go on yet more earnestly in the work, and to stir up those who have not tried it, to begin.

Perhaps somebody may say, “Why should I help others?” and my answer shall be, because souls want help. Is not that enough? The cry of misery is a sufficient argument for mercy. Souls want it: they die; they perish; they are ready to despair; help them. There was a story in the papers last week of a man being found dead in a ditch, who had been lying there dead for six weeks. It was said that somebody had heard a cry of “Lost, lost,” but it was dark, and he did not go out to see who it was! “Shocking! shocking!” say you, and yet just the very same thing may have been done by you. There are some persons here to-night who may not cry “Lost,” because they do not feel they are lost, but they are so; and will you let them die in the ditch of their ignorance? There are others who are crying “Lost!” and who want a word of comfort; and will you let them perish in despair for the want of it? My brethren, let the needs of humanity provoke you to activity.

Remember, again, how you were helped yourselves when you were in a like condition. Some of us will never forget that dear Sunday-school teacher, that tender mother, that Christian woman, that kind young man, that excellent elder of the church, who once did so much for us. We shall never forget their tender attention. They seemed to us as visions of bright angels when we were in the thick fog and darkness. Return the debt; repay the obligation; discharge what you owe; and you cannot do this except by helping others as you were helped yourselves.

Moreover, Christ deserves it. There is a lamb out there that is lost; it is his lamb; will you not care for it? If there were a strange child at my door asking for a night’s shelter, humanity might prompt me to take in the poor little creature out of the snow and wind, but if it were the child of my brother, or of some dear friend, kindred sympathy would constrain me to protect it. That sinner is your Saviour’s blood-bought one, and is very dear to him; he is a prodigal, but he is your Father’s son, and consequently your own brother. By the relationship there is, though he discerns it not at present, you are bound. A moral obligation rests upon you to give him your help.

O beloved, you would not want any other argument, did you know how blessed the work is in itself. Would you acquire knowledge? help others; would you grow in grace? help others; would you shake off your own despondency? help others. It quickens the pulse; it clears the vision; it steels the soul to courage; it confers a thousand blessings on your own souls, to help others on the road to heaven. Shut up your heart’s floods, and they will become noisome, stagnant, putrid, foul; let them flow, and they shall be fresh and sweet, and shall well up continually. Live for others, and you will live a hundred lives in one. For blessedness, commend me to industry, and divorce me from idleness.

But, if that is not enough, I think I may say, that you are called to this work. Your master has hired you; it is not for you to pick and choose what you will do; he has given you your talents, and you must do what he bids you. To-night, then, before you leave this house, try to do some practical service for your Master, for he has called you to it. If you do not, you will probably get the rod for correction. If you do not help others, God will treat you as men do their stewards who make no righteous use of the goods entrusted to them; your talent may be taken from you. Sickness may be waiting for you, because you are not active while you are in health; you may be brought to poverty, because you do not make a right use of riches; you may be brought into deep despair yourselves, because you have not helped despairing souls. Pharaoh’s dream has often been fulfilled. He dreamed that that there were seven fat bullocks who fed in the meadow, and by-and-by there came seven lean bullocks, who ate up the fat ones. Sometimes, when you are full of joy and peace, you are lazy and idle, and do not do any good to others; and whenever this is the case, you may depend upon it, that very soon the seven lean bullocks will come and eat up the seven fat bullocks. You may rest quite assured, that those lean days in which you do nothing for your Master, those lean prayers, those lean Sundays, will eat up your fat Sabbaths, your fat graces, your fat joys, and then where will you be?

Besides all this, we are getting nearer heaven, and sinners are getting nearer hell. The time in which we can win souls by serving Christ is getting very short. The days of some here must be very few, and with none of us can they be very long. O let us think of the reward! Happy spirit, who shall hear others say, as he enters the celestial regions, “My father, I welcome thee!” Childless souls in glory who were never made a blessing to others on earth, must surely miss the very heaven of heaven; but they who have brought others to Christ shall have, in addition to their own heaven, the joy of sympathy with other spirits whom they were the means of blessing.

I wish I could put my meaning into words that would burn their way into your hearts. I want every member of this church to be a worker. We do not want any drones. If there are any of you who want to eat and drink, and do nothing, there are plenty of places elsewhere, where you can do it; there are empty pews about in abundance; go and fill them, for we do not want you. Every Christian who is not a bee is a wasp. The most quarrelsome persons are the most useless, and they who are the most happy and peaceable, are generally those who are doing most for Christ. We are not saved by working, but by grace, but because we are saved, we desire to be the instruments of bringing others to Jesus.

I would stir you all up to help in this work-old men, young men, and you, my sisters, and all of you, according to your gifts and experience, help. I want to make you feel, “I cannot do much, but I can help; I cannot preach, but I can help; I cannot pray in public, but I can help; I cannot give much money away, but I can help; I cannot officiate as an elder or a deacon, but I can help; I cannot shine as ‘a bright particular star,’ but I can help; I cannot stand alone to serve my Master, but I can help.” There is a text from which an old Puritan once preached a very singular sermon. There were only two words in the text, and they were, “And Bartholomew.” The reason he took the text was, that Bartholomew’s name is never mentioned alone, but he is always spoken of as doing some good thing with somebody else. He is never the principal actor, but always second. Well, let this be your feeling, that if you cannot do all yourself, you will help to do what you can.

Gather we not, this night, as a meeting of council, to present degrees to such disciples as through many sessions of labour have merited them? I confer upon you who have used your opportunities well, the sacred title of “Helps.” Others of you shall have it when you deserve it. Go and win it. God grant that it may be your joy to wear the holy vestment of charity, fringed with humility, and to enter into heaven, praising God that he helped you to be a helper to others.

Portion of Scripture read before Sermon-Romans 12.